It's Day - With Anticipation

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Pat Day has always had a keen sense of timing and a flare for the dramatic.

On Saturday, he used both traits to become Thoroughbred racing's all-time richest rider, as he guided With Anticipation to a head victory over 2-1 favorite Denon in the $500,000, Grade 1 before 33,342 at Saratoga. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Volponi in third.

Last month at Monmouth Park, With Anticipation beat Denon by a neck in the Grade 1 United Nations Handicap.

By winning the Sword Dancer, Pat Day's mount earned $300,000, enabling him to surpass Chris McCarron and become racing's all-time winningest jockey in purse money won. Day now has $264,580,968. McCarron retired last month with career earnings of $264,351,679.

"It would be exciting to set the record regardless, certainly to do it aboard a horse like With Anticipa-tion for the connections of Jonathan Sheppard and Mr. [George] Straw-bridge is great," said Day, who ranks third in career wins with 8,292. "And it's special to do it in a place like Saratoga in front of a full grandstand with the enthusiasm being what it is."

He also did it aboard a 7-year-old gray warrior, who overcame several obstacles to become only the third horse to win consecutive runnings of the Sword Dancer. Majesty's Prince (1983-84) and El Senor (1989-90) are the others.

With Anticipation, the 120-pound highweight, broke from post 10, but assumed good position early on, racing fourth behind Grammarian and Volponi and just outside of Denon. Grammarian set an ambitious pace of 23.34 seconds, 47.23, 1:11.74, and 1:36.54.

Turning for home, Denon, under Edgar Prado, was able to shoot through an opening along the rail, while Day was forced to go four wide. In midstretch, Denon looked like a winner, but With Anticipation persevered and caught him two strides from the wire.

With Anticipation covered the 1 1/2 miles over firm turf in 2:24.06 - the second fastest of 23 Sword Dancers run under these conditions - and returned $7.60 to win.

"Coming off the turn it took him a little bit to get extended," Day said. "When he did he went after the horse with a vengeance, and he just got here in time. Game, game effort. The ground may have been stinging him a little bit early on, but he came through and got the job done for us."

Sheppard, a Hall of Fame trainer, had nothing but praise for With Anticipation, who has now earned $1,857,204.

"He had top weight, he was on ground that he wasn't real comfortable on and he won the race anyway," Sheppard said. "I think it says a tremendous amount for the horse's class."